Shoe toe shiner



o. M. DYER, JR

SHOE TOE SHINER July 3; 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1960 Otto M. Dyer, J1:

IN VENTOR.

0. M. DYER, JR

SHOE TOE SHINER July 3, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29. 1960 0H0 M. Dyer, Jr.

INVENTOR.

8 4 w a u w 4 .d M w 6 6 6/7 M/ x I, x 4 I 1 u fz 5 ,F 7 w 2 M 4 v m w m ml m w 3,041,646 SHQE TOE SHINER Utto M. Dyer, Jr., Lafayette Plaisance, Apt. 1205, Detroit, Mich. Filed Apr. 2 1960, Ser. No. 25,734 Gaines. (Ci. -97) This invention relates to a novel and useful toe shiner which is specifically adapted for shining the toe of a shoe in an effective manner.

The present invention includes the provision of a support platform adapted to support a shoe. The platform is provided with supporting wheels including two which are provided with winding drums.

A pair of spaced inverted, generally U-shaped and parallel support elements each have one end portion pivotally secured to an opposite side of the support platform. The U-shaped support elements are mounted for pivotal movement about aligned axes extending substantially at right angles to the planes in which the support elements are disposed. The lower portions of the forward free ends of the support elements extend forwardly of the platform and below the plane in which the support platform is disposed and each of the U-shaped support elements comprises a hollow tubular member. The adjacent walls of the lower portions of the free ends of the tubular members are provided with longitudinal slots and a coil spring is slidably disposed in each of the tubular members and projects from the end of its associated tubular member which is pivotally secured to the support platform. The projecting end of one coil spring is secured to one of the wheel drums in a manner to be wound thereabout upon forward movement of the support platform and the projecting end of the other coil spring is secured to another of the wheel drums in a manner to be unwound therefrom upon forward movement of the support platform.

The ends of the coil springs disposed in the free ends of the tubular members are provided with integrally formed hook members which project outwardly through the confronting slots and these hook members are adapted to engage the opposite ends of a shine cloth disposed over the toe of a shoe supported by the platform. It will thus be apparent that movement of the platform in one direction will eifect a downward movement of one of the retaining means and simultaneous upward movement of the other engaging means. It would then follow that opposite movement of the platform would effect opposite movement of the two engaging means projecting through the slots formed in the tubular members. The platform is thus moved alternately forward and backward to impart reciprocating motion to the shine cloth disposed over the toe of the shoe supported by the platform.

It is the main object of this invention to provide a shoe toe shiner which will effectively polish and shine the toe of a shoe.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a means by which the shine cloth disposed over the toe of the shoe will be maintained in a tensioned state during its reciprocating movement whereby a better shine will be provided. To this end, the coil springs disposed in the tubular support mean are collapsed so that a positive connection is provided between the driving wheels and the retaining elements on the opposite ends of the coil springs when the latter are reciprocated in a direction to lower the associated retaining means and the corresponding end of the shine cloth while a resilient connection is provided between the driving wheels and the retaining means while the coil spring is moving in a direction to raise the retaining means inasmuch as each of the coil springs is constructed in a manner whereby friction means engaged ice therewith between the retaining means and the driving wheels will cause a lost motion connection between the driving wheels and the associated retaining elements uponand a resilient friction member for engaging the coil spring through the notch to thereby effect the lost motion connection.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a means for normally urging the free ends of the tubular members in an upward direction to provide clearance beneath the shine rag and a treadle means carried by the platform and engaged with the tubular members for effecting downward movement of the free ends of the latter upon engagement of a shoe with the support platform.

A final object of this invention is to provide a shoe toe shiner which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to operate so as to provide a device that would be economically feasible, long lasting and convenient to use.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the shoe shiner, a shoe being shown supported thereon in phantom lines;-

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the shoe shiner 7 shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the shoe shiner;

FIGURE 4 is a front end elevational view of the shoe shiner shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the free ends of the tubular members of the shoe shiner;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the section line 77 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by thesection line 8-8 of FIGURE 2;

ried by the supporting wheels will eifect reciprocating movement of the retaining meanscarried by the free ends of the coil springs upon forward and rearward movementof the shoe shiner on its supporting wheels.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the.

numeral 10 generally designates the shoe shiner comprising the instant invention which includes a support platform generally designated by the reference numeral 12.

The support platform 12 is shown 14 in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, and it Will be noted that the toe of the shoe 14 projects beyond the forward end of the platform 12 and that a pair of generally parallel and U-shaped tubular members are pivotally secured to opposite sides of the support-platform 12 by means of brackets generally'designated by the reference numeral 18.

With particular attention directed to FIGURE 8 of the drawings, it will be noted that each of the brackets 18' includes a strap portion which is pivotally secured to the platform 12 at one end by means of a fastener 20 and a Patented July 3, 1962 plane indicated by the.

supporting a shoev U-shaped and the tubular members 16 are disposed sub:

stantially parallel. The forward free ends of the tubular members 16 are provided with substantially straight and downwardly directed portions 26 which are each provided with a foot 28 on their lowermost ends, see

7 FIGURE in particular. a

The adjacent walls of the downwardly directed por ring screw 24 for securing the clamping assembly 22 about tions 26 are provided with longitudinally extending slots" 30 whose purpose will be hereinafter more fully set forth while the curved bight portions 32 of each of the tubular members 16 is provided with alongitudinally extending slot 34, a coil spring 36 being slidingly disposed in each of the tubular members 16. Each'of the .coil springs is normally in a collapsed state and has one end projecting beyond the end of the associated tubular member 16 which is pivotally secured to the support platform 12.

The support platform 12 includes a plurality of depending supports 38 and 40. 'The supports 38 are arranged in pairs and each pair rotatably journals an axle 42. Each axle 42 extends transversely of the support platform 12 and has a pair of wheels 44 and 46 secured thereto. The wheels 44 and on one of the axles 42 are oppositely positioned relative to the wheels 44 and 46 on the other axle 42. The Wheels 44 each include a gear'wheel 48 which is meshed with a gear wheel 50' journaled on the lower end of the adjacent support 40. Each of the wheels 46 is provided with a groove 52 in its peripheral surface and the extending end of the associated coilspring 36 is secured in the associated groove 52 by means of a suitable fastener 54.

Thus, it will be apparent that upon. movement of the support platform '12 in a forward direction, one of the coil springs 36 will be wound about its associated wheel 46 while the other spring is unreele'd from its associated wheel 46. This, of'course, will effect reciprocating move ment of the coil springs 36 in the tubular members 16 as the platform 12 is alternately moved backward and forward. I a V The ends of'the coil springs 36 disposed'in the downwardly directed portions 26 are provided with integrally formed hook engaging portions 56 which project through the associated slot 30. The upper and lower, ends of'the slotsi30 thereby comprise limits for movement of the coil springs 36 back and forth through the tubular mem-' bars 16 and therefore also limits for the rotation of the wheels 46.

With particular attention directed to FIGURE 7 of' the drawings, it-will be noted that the gear '50 engages the associated coil spring 36. at a point diametrically op posite' from itsengag'ement with the gear 48.' This engagement ofthe gear 50 with its associated coil spring 4 nected by means of a threaded fastener 72. Thus, upon movement of the threaded fastener 72 in one direction, the free ends of the tubular members 16 will be driven together while movement of the threaded fastener 72 in the opposite direction. will move the free ends of the tubular members away from each other. It may thus be seen that the tubular members may be readily adjusted for receiving shoes of varying widths therebetween.

Each of the tubular members 16 is provided with a resilient friction member 74 which is fixedly secured thereto and has a portion thereof projecting into the slot 34 and engaging the adjacent surfaces of the associated coil spring 36. The resilient friction members 74 are fixedly secured to the tubular members 16 in any convenient manner and it will be apparent that movement of one of the coil springs through its associated tubular member 16 to raise the corresponding hooked engaging member 56 on the free end' thereof willcause that portion of the spring 36 disposed between the resilient fric-' tion member 74 and the associated wheel 46 to stretch and thus enable the wheel 46 to rotate without imparting movement to the associated hooked engaging member 56. However, inasmuch as the other coil spring 36 is normally in a collapsed state and is at the same time moving its associated hooked engaging member 56 downwardly as the shine rag 60"is tensioned uponmovement of the other hooked engaging member 56 downwardly, the end of the shine rag 60 engaged with the hooked engaging element 56 whose associated spring 36 is being wound about its wheel 46' will pull that hooked engaging element 56 upwardly upon further downward movement of the hooked engaging element 56 associated with the V collapsed coil spring 36. Thus, it will be noted that re' ciprocating movement of the shine rag 60 over the toe of the shoe 14 may be effected with the shine mg 60 maintained in a tensioned state at all times while the shine rag is moving.

It is noted that the slot 34 may be constructed of a width to enable a'stretched coil spring 36 to be pulled from its seated position within the tubular member 16 as is shown in FIGURE 2 inphantom lines if it is desired. However, in some instances it may be found to be more desirable to restrict the width of the slot 34 to that which will preclude the movement of the associated coil spring 36 out of the tubular member.

It is to be understood that the expansion spring 58 will itself'limit the npward'pivotal movement of the free ends of the tubular members 16 as it assumes a collapsed state and thatthe feet 28 formed on the lower ends of the downwardly directed portions 26 of the tubular member 16 will, when engaging the supporting surface 74 for the of the free ends of the tubular members 16.

36: insures that the portion of the coil spring disposed about the groove 52 will remain seated therein upon movement of that wheel 46 to unwind the coil spring 36 therefrom.

, a An expansion spring 58 is secured between the support platform 12 and each of the tubular members 16 for resiliently urging the. free ends of'the latter upwardly to raise the hooked engaging means 56 so that the toe of the shoe 14 may be more conveniently and readily disposed beneath the shine cloth 60 secured betweengthe hook engaging means'56.' Each of the. expansion springsf 5 8.is secured between the; support platform 12 andlthe tubular members 16 by means of a pair of hooks 62'and 64 r v :A transversely extending bracing element, generally designated by the reference numeral 66, is secured between the vfree end portions of the tubular membersf 16 With particular attention directed to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the support platform 12 is provided with a shallow transversely extendingrslot 76 in which thereis disposed a transversely extending treadle member 78. The transversely extending "abovejhe-slots3Q. The bracing member 66' includes a pair of aligned cylindrical rods 68 and 70 .wh'ose adja- 7 cent; end portions are oppositely threaded and int'ercon- 'treadle member 78 has'its opposite end portions overlying the adjacent strap. 18. Thus, the treadle78 is normally urged to a position. projecting slightly above the upper surface of the support platform 12 and may be I depressed upon the positioning of a shoe 14 on the platform 12 to engage the straps 18 and lower the free end portions of the tubular member 16 until the feet 28 there! of engage the supporting surface 74.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and. accordingly vall suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A shoe toe shiner comprising a support platform adapted to support a shoe, a pair of spaced support means carried by said platform adapted to receive the toe of a shoe supported by said platform therebetween, engaging means mounted on said support means for upstanding reciprocal movement and adapted to engagethe opposite ends of a shine cloth below a shoe toe disposed between said support means over which the mid-portion of said cloth passes, motor means and connecting means operatively connected between said engaging means and said motor means, said motor means effecting opposite reciprocal movement of said connecting means to effect reciprocating movement of said cloth over said shoe to shine the latter, said connecting means including a positive connection between said motor means and each of said engaging means when effecting its downward movement and a resilient connection therebetween when effecting its upward movement, and friction means stationarily mounted in relation to and engaging said connecting means for resiliently arresting upward movement of each of said engaging means whereby the upward movement of each will be effected only upon the positive downward move ment of the other to tension said cloth over said shoe.

2. A shoe toe shiner comprising a support platform adapted to support a shoe, a pair of spaced inverted generally U-shaped support elements, means securing one free end portion of each of said support elements to an opposite side of said platform with the other end of each projecting therebelow, engaging means slidably mounted on the free end portions of said support elements for upstanding reciprocal movement between limit positions above and below a shoe toe positioned between said free end portions and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a shine cloth passing over said shoe toe, motor means carried by said platform, and connecting means operatively connected between said engaging means and said motor means, said motor means effecting opposite reciprocal movement of said connecting means to effect reciprocal movement of said cloth over said shoe toe to shine the latter, means resiliently urging each of said support elements to a rotated limit position with the free ends of said support elements raised sufficiently to enable easy insertion of a shoe toe beneath the shine cloth supported by said engaging means, and means connected to said support elements and engageable by a shoe positioned on said platform for lowering the free ends of said support elements to tension said shine cloth over the shoe toe positioned thereunder.

3. A shoe toe shiner comprising a support platform adapted to support a shoe, a pair of spaced inverted generally U-shaped support elements, means securing one free end portion of each of said support elements to an opposite side of said platform with the other end of each projecting therebelow, engaging means slidably mounted on the free end portions of said support elements for upstanding reciprocal movement between limit positions above and below a shoe toe positioned between said free end portions and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a shine cloth passing over said shoe toe, motor means carried by said platform, and connecting means operatively connected motor means, said motor means effecting opposite reciprocal movement of said connecting means to effect reciprocal movement of said cloth over said shoe toe to shine the latter, said motor means including supporting wheels carried by said platform, each having a Winding drum thereon and journaled for rotation, said support elements each comprising atubular member, longitudinal slots formed in the adjacent walls of the free ends of said tubular members, said connecting means comprising coil springs disposed in said tubular members and projecting from said one end with said projecting ends each connected to one of said winding drums to be wound in a different direction, said engaging means carried by said coil springs and projecting outwardly of said slots;

4. The-combination of claim 3 wherein said coil springs are collapsed, friction meanscarried by each of said support elements and engaging the associated coil spring adjacent its retaining means whereby a positive connection is effected between said wheels and said retaining elements upon movement of said wheels to lower said retaining means and a lost motion connection is effected upon movement of said Wheels to raise said retaining elements whereby the upward movement of each retaining element will be effected only upon the movement of the other to tension said cloth over said shoe.

5. A shoe toe shiner comprisinga support platform adapted to support a shoe, a pair of spaced support means carried by said platform adapted to receive the toe of a shoe supported by said platform therebetween, engaging means mounted on said support means for upstanding reciprocal movement and adapted to engage the opposite ends of -a shine cloth below a shoe toe disposed between said support means over which the mid-portion of said clot-h passes, motor means and connecting means operatively connected between said engaging means and said motor means, said motor means eifecting opposite reciprocal movement of said connecting means to effect reciprocating movement of said cloth over said shoe to shine the latter, said connecting means including a positive connection between said motor means and each of said engaging means when elfecting its downward movement and a resilient connection therebetween when eifecting its upward movement, said motor means including supporting ,wheels carried by said platform and drivinglyconnected with said engaging means by the connecting means for reciprocation of said engaging means in response to reciprocation of said platform across the surface supporting said wheels.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dyer May 7, 1957 between said engaging means and said 

